Contents

Origin and History

The regiment was raised on March 1 1674.

During the War of the Polish Succession, the regiment served on the Rhine in 1734.

During the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment initially served in Bavaria in 1742. On June 27 1743, it took part in the Battle of Dettingen. In 1744, it was at Fribourg. From 1745 to 1748, it served in Flanders.

In 1756, the regiment ranked 39th and counted two squadrons.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by:

since September 28 1740: Comte de Maugiron

from May 1758 until December 1 1761: Comte de Trasseigny

When the French Cavalry was reorganised on December 1 1761, the regiment was amalgamated with Durfort Cavalerie to form a new regiment: Chartres Cavalerie. Effective incorporation seems to have taken place only on April 1 1763 at Saint-Omer.

Service during the War

By August 1 1757, the regiment had joined the French army in Germany. However, no mention of it is made in any order of battle for that year.

From March 30 to April 4 1758, after the retreat of the French army towards the Rhine, the regiment was with the Army of the Comte de Clermont in the camp of Wesel on the Lower Rhine, in the second line of the right wing. In April, when Clermont redeployed his army along the Rhine, the regiment was placed in the second line at Kevelaer, Weeze and Uedem. In May, the regiment changed owner and became known as "Trasseigny". After the successful crossing of the Rhine by the Allied army of Ferdinand of Brunswick on May 31, the regiment retired towards Rheinberg where it joined Clermont's Army on June 2. It remained in this camp until June 12 and was placed on the right wing of the second line. On June 23, the regiment took part in the Battle of Krefeld where it was placed on the left wing of the second line, under de Muy. In Mid August, after Ferdinand's retreat to the east bank of the Rhine, the regiment, as part of the Army of the Lower Rhine now under the Marquis de Contades, recrossed the Rhine to follow up the Allies. On August 20, it was encamped near Wesel where it was placed on the left wing of the second line. At the beginning of October, the regiment was attached to Chevert's Corps which was sent to reinforce the Army of the Prince de Soubise in Hesse. On October 10, it was at the Battle of Lutterberg where it was part of Chevert's Corps which won the day by turning the Allied left flank.

By May 23 1760, the regiment was part of the right wing of the first line of Broglie's Army. On July 10, the regiment might have been attached to Prince Camille's Cavalry Corps who arrived too late to take part in the Combat of Corbach.

Troopers were armed with a carbine, two pistols and a sabre. They were also supposed to wear a breastplate under their coat during battle but this regulation was not always followed.

Evolution of the uniform during the war

Throughout the war the French cavalry uniform seems to have evolved significantly. Our only primary source for the uniform at the start of the conflict is the Etat Général des Troupes Françoises of 1753. The first primary pictorial evidence comes from Raspe in 1761. Here we present various interpretations of the evolution of the uniform.

Raspe's illustration depicting the uniform towards the end of 1760 shows the following evolutions: